Electric switch



Nov. 6, W34. H B ug-rm 1,979,852

, ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 50. 1933 5 Shecs-Sheet l Nov. 6, 1934. H. B. AUSTIN 1,979,852

ELECTRIC SWITCH File d Sept. 50, 19:55 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 6, 1934. H B, AUSTIN 1,979,852

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 30, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 New; 5, i934. H B ug- 1 979,852

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 50, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 6, 1934 H. B. AUSTIN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 30, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 45 position.

atented Nov. 6, 1934 ATE METRIC SWITCH! Harvey B. Austin, Narberth, Pa, m;

or off onehall to George Andros Thomson, Some,

Application September 30, 1933, Serial No. 691,718

My invention relates to an electric switch intended for carrying electric current.

A purpose of my invention is to combine clamping and locking functions at the switch, both protecting against opening the switch and the former assuring most intimate electric contact.

; A further purpose is to provide straight line or overthrow toggle protection against too early throwing of the lock and/or tightening mecha- W nism during the closing movement of. the switch and to break the toggle by positive means.

A further purpose is to break a locking lever movement from toggle position to operating position of the relative toggle parts;by a stop with which engagement is made near the end of the switch blade movement.

A further purpose is to use a bolt by which clamping is effected in the closed switch position as a lock for holding the switch closed.

A further purpose is to rotate a locking member within the switch tongue at the end oi the switch-closing stroke to lock the switch.

Further purposes will appear in the specificatlcn and in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by one form only, selecting a form which is practical, effective and comparatively inexpensive and which at the same time well illustrates the principles involved.

Figures 1 and 1a are side elevations of slightly v-difierent switch-throwing and locking mechanisms of the same general character asthat seen in Figures 2-10 except that the structure of Figures 1 and 1c are applied to the throwing of longer switch blades suited for higher tension circuits than are the structures of Figures 2-10.

Open switch positions of the parts are shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a short switch blade construction adapted to be thrown by a pole which engages a pull ring. n

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the structure of Figure 2 with the switch blade in open Figure 3a is a side elevation of the jaw with which the blade of Figure 3 would engage.

Figure 3b is an enlarged scale section of Figure 3 taken upon lines 3b-3'b.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure of Figure 2 with the parts in the position of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is aside elevation of the structure of Figure 2 but with the locking and clamping bolt and lever in locked and clamped position.

(oi. zoo-4s) OFFICE Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the hinge of Figures 2-5.

Figure '1 is a section upon lines 77 of Figure 6.

Figures 8 and 9 are sections largely side elevations, taken parallel with the blade and between one of the plates of the switch blade and the tongue showing the locking bolt in diflerent angular positions.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the jaw tongue and of the end of the switch blade.

In the drawings similar numerals refer to like parts.

the end of the switch blade engages.

At the same time there has been an increasing premium upon excellence of electrical contact between the plates of the switch blade against the hinge at one end and against the tongue at the opposite end. Attempt has been made to meet these difficulties by clamps which engage the plates of the switch blade and hold them against the sides of the tongue. quality of such a contact and of the I have improved the mechanism by which the plates are clamped and have also applied a lock operative within the switch tongue to hold the parts together positively.

In each of the illustrations the switch comprises broadly, a pivotal hinge mount 15, a terminal tongue 16 and two plates 1'7 and 18 together making up a blade 19 pivoted to the mount and spaced at the ends by the mount and tongue. They are held together at the tongue end by spacing rivet 20. At the hinge end spaced by the hinge post.

the blades are The hinge is held together by hinge bolt 21 and nut 22, the bolt passing through the plates and through washers 23. The bolt is intended to be turned by an operating lever and the nut is fastened to move angularly with the blade so as to form a hinge clamp for the purpose of improvin and in the form of Figures the electrical contact at this point.

The hinge support 15 and the tongue 16 slotted at 24 are mounted upon insulators 25 and 26 1 and 1a the switchthrowing mechanism is mounted upon a third insulator 2'1 which in Figure pivot bar 28 under control of an arm 30.

1 swings about a 29 and link no In Figure 1a the post 31 supporting the insulator 27 is rotated by an arm 32 so as to turn the gear 33 at the upper end. The insulator is supported against strain in the direction of throw by a strap 34 which is provided with ears 35 within which is mounted shaft 36 carrying gear 37. The gear meshes with gear 33. Upon the shaft 37 is rigidly keyed a rocker arm 38' whose swinging movement about the shaft is comparable in the operating effect upon the switch blade to the swinging movement of arm 38 of Figure 1.

The arm 38 or 38' is connected by link 39 or 39' to a pivot 40 upon hinge lever 41 which performs the same function as hinge lever 41' in Figure 5.

The hinge lever 41 or 41' is connected by link 42 with jaw crank 43 which is keyed to bolt 44. The lever carries a heel 45 for engagement during the closing and opening operations with a stop or fulcrum in the form of a pin 46 mounte upon insulator 26.

The two levers'41 and 43 together with link 42 comprise a double toggle switch blade-throwing mechanism in which the link 42 aligns with lever 41 in the positions shown in Figures 1, 1a and 5, in the extended or straightened position of the toggle to resist any tendency to open the switch by counter clockwise movement of the lever 43. In the position of the parts in Figure 3 the link 42 aligns with jaw crank 43 in the extended or'straightened position of this second toggle to close the switch blade without turning the bolt 44 with respect to the blade and thus without setting either the locking or clamping mechanism.

The second toggle is drawn resiliently toward the blade and toward straightened position by spring 47 fastened to one of the plates of the link at 48 and to one plate of the blade at 49, the purpose being not only to additionally support the link and lever 43 against breaking thestraight alignment of their toggle when in the position of Figure 3 but to cause them to throw toward this position and to this position during opening effort upon the switch while lever 43 is turning in counterclockwise direction from the position seen in Figure 5 through that seen in Figure 2 to the position of these parts seen in Figure 3.

The jaw tongue slot 24 allows free passage of the bolt 44 and at the inner end of the slot is enlarged at 50 to provide an opening for receipt of a larger dimension of the middle cross section of the bolt when the bolt has been turned by movement of crank 43 to the position seen in Figure 5.

The clamping mechanismsat the hinge and at the jaw ends, respectively, of the blade are the same including identical nuts and nut adjustnism by which the clamping function is attained at the hinge. The locking construction and function will then be explained.

The bolt 44 is flattened on both sides at the end as at 51 for the purpose of keying it to the crank 43 and carries a boss 52 for engagement with washer 53 which in turn engages the switch blade plate 18. The plate 17 on the opposite side retains nut 54 against rotation and the dif*- ferent number of openings 55 in the flange of the nut and openings 56 in the plate for reception of screw 59 five in one and four in the other retaining them against relative rotation provides an adjustment comparable with a Vernier by which the nut may be held to afine degree of accuracy to the exact tightness of clamp action desired when the crank 43 is thrown to clamping and locking position seen in Figure 5.

As far as described this construction is identical with the construction seen at the hinge end at which the nut 22 is engaged by bolt 21 and the fastening of the nut against rotation is with respect to the rear end of plate 17 instead of the front end thereof. However in the case at the hinge the lever 41' sets the clamp in its movement from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 5 as distinguished from setting of the clamp at the jaw end by corresponding movement of the jaw crank 43 from approximately the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 5.

There is, however, a further diflerence between the construction at the two ends in that passage of the bolt 44 down into the slot 24 makes it possible to use the cross-section of the bolt which enters this slot as a locking bar, locking against opening of the switch. This is done (as seen in Figures 2a, 8 and 9) by flattening the bolt on one side as at 60 so that when the bolt is turned by crank arm 43 to the position of the parts seen in Figures 3 and 9, the half cross-section of the bolt will pass freely into the slot 24, but when the crank 43 has been turned to the position seen in Figure 5, the half section of the bolt will be turned to the position seen in Figure 8 where the portion 61 of the bolt will lock against the surface 62 of the jaw.

Current is conducted through the switch by connections 63 and 64, 63, and 64, all as in usual switches and it will be noted that the invention is wholly independent of the character of operation, whether, if group-operated, lever 41 be pushed as in Figure 1, or pulled as in Figure 1a, or if it be operated separately by a pole acting within pull ring 65.

In operation, starting with the switch open to the full as in Figure 3 the parts 42' and 43 forming the toggle are in line so that the hinge lever 41' and the combined link and crank forming the toggle act rigidly in closing thrust movement of the blade. When the blade is nearly home the heel 45 engages the fixed stop pin 46 so that further closing movement of the blade turns crank 43 slightly about the pin, tending to break the toggle formed by link 42 and crank 43against the tension of spring 47. Turning movement of crank 43 required before the blade is fully home is insufficient .to cause the half section of the bolt seen in Figures 8 and 9 to engage with the walls of slot 24 and is insufficient to cause clamping pressure upon the plates making up the blade.

When the blade is home further thrustpressure through line 42' upon the toggle made up of link 42 and crank 43 breaks the toggle, causes rotation of crank 43 to turn the bolt 44 within the nut 54 and at the same time permits clockwise (in Figures 2, 3 and 5) swinging movement of lever 41' to screw bolt 21 into the nut 22 at the hinge end of the construction. The clockwise rotations shown of the hinge lever 41 and jaw crank 43 and the corresponding rotations of bolts 21 and 44, to which they are, respectively hinged,

the rotation of bolt 44 turns its half section into locking position as seen in Figure 8.

The position of the toggle parts with respect to the blade thus changes from that shown in Figure 3 through that shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 5, at which the blade is both clamped and locked in fully closed switch position.

It will be noted that in the closed position the toggle formed by hinge lever 41' and link 42 is set on center (it could just as well be overthrown if lever 41 be allowed to turn slightly before it is fully tightened) preventing counterclockwise stress exerted upon the jaw crank 43 from opening the switch, just as the aligned positions of the link 42 and jaw crank 43 in Figure 3 (which could of course also overthrow, if desired) make the parts rigid for thrust closure of the switch blade from the position seen in Figure 3 to its closed position. In the position of Figure 5 the pull ring engages link 42 as a stop and this engagement may take place, as shown, when the hinge lever and link are aligned or when the lever and link have overthrown. Likewise in Figure 3 a lug 66 upon the link engages with a pin 67 upon the jaw crank to limit, as shown. to alignment but aslightly more advanced pin position would allow the toggle overthrow.

With the switch closed and the jaw crank in the position seen in Figures 1, 1a and 5 opening counterclockwise pull upon the hinge lever 41" swings this hinge lever to release the clamping action at the hinge and swings the jaw crank to release the locking and clamping conditions at the jaw. This swinging movement goes on completely releasing the lock and both clamps until the heel 45 of the jaw crank engages the'trip pin 46. Continued pulling strain upon the link 42 makes the jaw crank act as a lever having its fulcrum in the trip pin to start the blade out of its closed position about the jaw. This starting movement continues to and through positions such as 2a until the jaw crank and link 42' are aligned asthey appear in Figure 3, at which time relative movement between the toggle parts made up of link 42' and jaw crank 43 ceases and they move together to pull the blade free from the jaw and into the fully open position seen in Figure 3.

It will be evident that the switch may be long or short, with correspondingly suited operating arrangements and that the proportions of the parts may vary widely even where the same form of construction is embodied.

It will be further evident that the construction may be altered within the meaning of the claims, subject to the needs of individual installations and the preference or whim of the designer without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

-1. In an electric switch, a pair of plates comprising a switch blade, a pivot therefor, a slotted tongue contact which the plates laterally span and engage when the blade is closed, a clamp operative with the blade closed and adapted to tightenthe plates laterally against the tongue and including a bolt transversely through the blade, and adapted to register with the slot, the bolt having a shoulder on the outer side of one plate, a nut at the outer side of the other plate and a non-circular section of the bolt adapted in one angular position of the bolt to pass through the slot and in the clamping position of the bolt to engage the tongue to lock the switch blade thereto, and means for throwing the bolt.

- 2. In an electric switch, a pair of laterally spaced plates comprising a switch blade, a pivot therefor, a tongue contact with which the blade engages, a clamp adapted to be tightened when the blade is in the closed position to draw the plates laterally against the intermediate tongue, a lever arm for tightening the clamp and throwing means for closing the blade including the lever arm and in which the lever arm and part of the throwing mechanism form a toggle straightened for throwing purposes and a stop engaging part of the toggle in the throwing switch movement to break the toggle and permit continued movement of the throwing mechanism to turn the lever and thereby tighten the clamp.

3. In an electric switch, a pair of plates comprising a switch blade, a pivot therefor, a tongue contact with which the switch blade engages when closed, a clamp adapted to be tightened in the terminal position to compress the plates upon the tongue and a double toggle throwing mechanism therefor including a lever for tightening the clamp, a lever for effecting the throwing movement and a link joining the two levers and cooperating with both to form a substantially straight toggle with the clamping lever when the switch is open or partially closed and to form a substantially straight toggle with the other lever when the switch is clamped in closed position and a stop engaging the clamping lever to break the adjoining toggle when the switch blade is closing to permitthe throwing lever to throw the clamping lever after the blade is closed and to act as a fulcrum to start the switch blade in opening movement with unclamping movement of said clamping lever.

4. In an electric switch, a pair of plates comprising a switch blade, a pivot therefor, a tongue contact with which the switch blade engages when closed, a clamp adapted to be tightened in the terminal position to compress the plates upon the tongue and a double toggle throwing mechanism therefor including a lever for tightening the clamp, a lever for effecting the throwing movement and alink joining the two levers and cooperating with both to form a substantially straight toggle with the clamping lever when the switch is open or partially closed and to form a substantially straight toggle with the other lever when the switch is clamped in closed position and a stop engaging the clamping lever to break the adjoining toggle when the switch blade is closing to permit the throwing lever to throw the clamping lever after the blade is closed and iii] a clamp at the pivot operated by the throwing having spaced plates, a terminal therefor having a tongue contact to fit betweenthe plates and a slot in the tongue and a combined clamp and lock for clamping and locking the blade in'its closed position upon opposite sides of the tongue and comprising a bolt on and transversely through the blade, having a flattened body intermediate the plates and in position to be received in the slot edgewise and presenting a shoulder and nut to the outer sides of the plates and between which the plates are clamped against the tongue by an angular movement of the bolt with respect to the nut, an arm from the bolt for turning the bolt to effect clamping engagement with the plates and walls of the slot toward the inner end thereof with which the non-circular body of the bolt interlocks when the bolt is turned in the clamping position and to allow closing and opening of the switch blade in another position of the bolt arm.

6. In an electric switch, a, pivoted switch blade comprising spaced plates, a contact tongue against opposite sides oi which the plates are adapted to be clamped, a lever carried by the blade and efiective with swinging movement to tighten the clamp, a stop engaged by the lever, switch-throwing means for the lever comprising a pivoted throwing lever and a link pivoted to it and to the clamping lever, the relation of the pivots being such that the link and the clamping lever form a toggle substantially straight in normal throwing operation of the blade, a spring tending to hold the toggle in the straight position and a fixed stop adapted to engage one of the toggle parts when the blade is closing to positively break the toggle whereby after the blade is in its closed position continued movement of the switch throwing lever acts through the link upon the clamping lever.

'7. A switch blade comprising spaced plates, a slotted contact tongue with which the plates of the switch blade laterally engage and a clamp carried by the blade comprising a clamping lever, a bolt engaging one of the plates to tend to press it against the tongue and a nut for the bolt engaging the other plate of the blade to clamp the two plates against the tongue in combination with adjusting and holding mechanism for the nut having a stop passing through the nut and into the plate of the blade to prevent turning of the nut with respect to the plate, there being a number of openings in the nut for selective use by the said stop arranged at circumferential intervals about thenut axis and a difierent number of circumferentially spaced openings for selective use by the stop in the plate of the blade, each opening in the nut being adapted to register selectively with each opening in the plate and for close angular adjustments or the nut with respect to the bolt and plate.

8. A swinging switch blade comprising spaced plates, a washer outside one of the plates, a bolt passing through the washer and plates of the blade having a shoulder engaging the washer and a non-circular head beyond the shoulder, a nut outside the other plate and engaging the threaded portion of the bolt, positive means for holding the nut against rotation with respect to the blade, an operating lever engaging the noncircular portion of the head outside the space between the blades and a switch tongue adapted to pass between the plates and to be clamped by them when the lever is tightened.

9. A swinging switch blade, comprising spaced plates, a washer outside one of the plates, a bolt passing through the washer and plates of the blade and having a shoulder engaging the washers and a non-circular head beyond the washer, a nut engaging the threaded portion of the bolt and the outside of the other plate, means for holding the nut against rotation with respect to the blade, an operating lever engaging the noncircular portion of the head and a slotted tongue adapted to pass into the space between the plates and to be clamped by them when the lever is tightened, the bolt being flattened between the plates to adapt it to pass through the slot in the tongue and to engage with the tongue for locking purposes when the bolt has been turned angular ly by the lever.

10. A switch mechanism, comprising a pivoted switch having bolt actuated clamps at the hinge and at the tongue ends of the switch and plates forming the blade spanning the hinge, a tongue contact terminal, clamp and throwing levers operating the bolt at the hinge and tongue respectively, a link connecting the levers proportioned to bring the tongue lever and link into substantially a straight toggle alignment during throwing movements of the switch blade and the link and binge levers into alignment in the clamping position of the levers, a spring resisting opening of the first toggle and positive stop means engaged by the clamp lever during the/throwing movement of the blade to break the toggle alignment between the link and clamp lever to permit continued movement of the throwing lever after the blade is in its closed position so that the throwing lever operates the hinge clamp and swings the tongue clamp lever at the tongue to operate the tongue clamp.

11. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade, a throwing mechanism therefor including pivoted elements having their pivots capable of alignment to form a set toggle, a combined clamp and lock carried by the switch blade operated by one of the elements of the toggle and means located at the jaw end of the switch for breaking the toggle to transform the throwing movement of the toggle elements into operating movement to set the clamp and the lock.

12. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade, a throwing mechanism therefor including pivoted elements having their pivots capable of alignment to form a set toggle, a clamp carried by the switch blade operated by one of the elements of the toggle and means located at the jaw end of the switch for breaking the toggle to transform the throwing movement of the toggle elements into operating movement to set the clamp.

13. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade, a throwing mechanism therefor including pivoted elements having their pivots capable of alignment to form a set toggle, a look carried by the switch blade operated by one of the elements of the toggle and means located at the jaw end of the switch for breaking the toggle to transform the throwing movement of the toggle elements into operating movement to set the lock.

14. In a switch, a pivoted switch blade, a combined clamp and lock for engaging an abutment, said clamp and lock being carried near the free end of the switch blade and means for throwing the switch blade and subsequently as part of the same movement of said means securing the clamp and engaging the lock against the abutment.

15. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade, a switch tongue with which the blade cooperates, a locking abutment, a clamp and lock for engaging said abutment, said clamp and lock being both carried by the blade near its free end and lever means for setting the clamp and for positively engaging the lock against the abutment as part of a continuous lever operation.

- 16. An electric switch, a hinge tongue and a contact tongue, a switch blade hinged to the hinge tongue and at the end of its stroke engaging the contact tongue, a clamp causing the switch blade to tighten against the contact tongue, a lever operating the clamp, a second lever, a link connecting the first lever and the second lever and during the throwing operation normally in line with the first lever and a trip throwing the link and first lever out of line for movement of the first lever at the end of the stroke to set the clamp. i

17. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade, a clamp and lock carried by the blade and each set by the same rotary movement, a contact tongue with which the clamping and locking engagement both take place and throwing means for the blade carried by the blade and movable in unaltered position with respect to the blade during the blade closing movement and having an additional movement for rotating the combined clamp and lock element.

18. In an electric switch, a swinging switch blade, a contact tongue engaged by the blade in closed blade position, a combined clamp and lock carried by the end of the blade and having a common operating mechanism for the clamp and lock comprising a rotary member, an arm controlling the rotation of said member, means for swinging the blade having swinging movement in space while maintaining its position with respect made up of separated plates, a switch tongue straddled by the plates, holding mechanismifor retaining the blade in position when the switch is closed, a lever arm operating said holding the toggle and permit continued movement of the throwing mechanism to fasten the holding mechanism.

20. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade comprising plates, a switch tongue with which the blade engages, holding means for the switch in closed position, toggle means for throwing the switch and settingthe holding means, said toggle mechanism being capable of alignment of the toggle parts to permit thrust through them without turning movement and a stop to limit the toggle against excessive overthrow.

21. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade, locking mechanisms for the hinge and free end of the blade, the latter carried by the blade, a lever for setting each of said locking mechanisms, a link joining the lever and providing for toggle alignment of the link with one lever in open position of the switch and with the other lever in closed and locked position thereof, means for preventing excessive over-throw of the toggle formed with the locking lever and a spring resiliently holding the toggle in aligned position.

22. In an electric switch, a pivoted switch blade having separated plates, a'switch tongue with 100 which the blade cooperates, holding means for the blade with respect to the tongue, a crank setting said holding means, a throw lever for the switch, a link connecting the throw lever with the crank for setting the holding means, the link 1 5 and crank being capable of substantial alignment to prevent improper breaking of the toggle, a spring and a stop for resiliently retaining the link and crank in position while the switch blade is open.

HARVEY B. AUSTIN. 

